Shameless self-promotion alert, I'll have a new book coming out in the next couple of months. I'm evaluating ways to promote it, and Julaina Kleist-Corwin gave me a suggestion: try video. Julaina leads the Tri-Valley Writers Social Media Group. Each month she presents great tips about building your platform. Her research indicates that more and more people click on videos … [Read more...] about Video for Writers by Lani Longshore
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Similes, Metaphors and Phrases by Lani Longshore
Jordan Rosenfeld, who presented a workshop for Tri-Valley Writers on character and point of view, gave a brief writing exercise on creating new metaphors and similes. She presented a list of phrases that had become cliches and challenged us to create something fresh. I thought a different way of saying right as rain could be perfect as a pear. My personal quest has become … [Read more...] about Similes, Metaphors and Phrases by Lani Longshore
The Perfect Writing Surface by Lani Longshore
I have a pad of paper on a magnet on the refrigerator for the grocery list. There are stacks of scrap paper by the telephone, and a legal pad on my nightstand for ideas that wake me from a sound sleep. One could believe I am a die-hard devotee of paper as the perfect writing surface, except that I also keep a white board to jot down menu ideas, and my novels have been composed … [Read more...] about The Perfect Writing Surface by Lani Longshore
The Last Generation to Remember the World Before Photocopiers by Lani Longshore
The last of the Baby Boomers and the first of the Gen Xers will be the last generation to remember the world before the internet, or so I heard at a lecture by Scott Thomas Anderson at CWC Tri-Valley Writers September meeting. That's a bit of a shock, but there's a bigger demarcation line in my opinion. I remember the world before the photocopier. My high-school business … [Read more...] about The Last Generation to Remember the World Before Photocopiers by Lani Longshore
When Disaster Strikes by Lani Longshore
The most recent natural disaster, Hurricane Harvey, reminded me to review my earthquake preparedness file. It contains lists of what to do before, during, and after an earthquake. Most important, there are lists of things to keep packed and ready. I suggest that a writer needs to add a notebook and supply of pens to the list. When disaster strikes, we need to record … [Read more...] about When Disaster Strikes by Lani Longshore
Trust and Perseverance by Lani Longshore
Every time one of my writing buddies gets a nibble from an agent, I wonder if I shouldn't trust the universe to provide and send out another round of queries myself. I'm happy enough self-publishing. No, my sales aren't good, but the chances of them being better with a traditional publisher aren't guaranteed, and at least my writing is out there now. Still, the validation of … [Read more...] about Trust and Perseverance by Lani Longshore
Titles: A Collection by Lani Longshore
There are days when I can write stories, and there are days when I can write titles. Alas, the titles don't always match the stories. Still, writing is writing, so I keep a file of all the titles that manage to stick to a memory cell long enough for me to record them. Whether I'll ever write stories to go with all of them is doubtful. That used to make me sad, but then I … [Read more...] about Titles: A Collection by Lani Longshore
Writing Lessons by Lani Longshore
There are times when the universe whacks you over the head and shouts, “Pay attention!” The universe is speaking to me about my writing practice, and what I need to include. Tri-Valley Writers started a field trip series to get us out of our writing dens and into the fresh air. The first outing was to Dublin's Heritage Park. We were given a sheet of writing prompts and … [Read more...] about Writing Lessons by Lani Longshore
